C.E. Martin's Blog, page 29
February 6, 2013
Destroyer Fans Read Free!
The writing bug didn't really hit me until the 1980s, when I used to read the amazing Destroyer series by Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir. Those books were so great I just knew I had to try my hand at writing as well. Over the years i've bounced back and forth from that endeavor but I've always enjoyed The Destoyer. Without the support of the fans of the series, I never would have kept on trying. So to that end, DESTROYER FANS READ FREE. Just email mythicaltheseries@gmail.com and give me the title of your favorite Destoyer novel and you'll receive a code to download Book1 and Book2 in the Mythical Series for FREE, from Smashwords.com. After all, Chiun deserves your money more than I do.
January 30, 2013
Filling the Void After Fringe
It's a terrible time for SFF fans- yet another wonderful series has ended. Fringe is no more.
The impact of that didn't really hit me yet- I just discovered Fringe a few months ago when the Science Channel started rerunning it. But now I'm hooked. It's everything I liked about Kolchak, X-Files, Smallville and Lost. Episodic mysteries, all linking toward a greater story.
Supernatural will soon join that list. It's in its eighth season- statistically speaking, it's bound to get cancelled within the next couple of years. Then what will we do?
It dawned on me the other day that my own book series, Mythical, might fit the bill. It's episodic, in that each book lays the foundation for a larger story, but is also a self-contained episode of supernatural mystery. Much like Murphy & Sapir's awesome Destroyer series (which is making its return this year!)
Mythical has science fiction. It has horror. It has action. It has soldiers, monsters, and even teenagers. It just doesn't have readers. Which sucks. Not because I couldn't just find something else to write that people might enjoy, but because I like episodic SFF like this. I need something Kolchakish in it's structure. Maybe the new Destroyer novels, or the new Destroyer spin off (Legacy) will work.
In any event, if you like Fringe, X-Files, etc, check out Mythical. It's more of the same.
January 20, 2013
Alphas is cancelled? Mythical Lives on...
Fans of the Syfy show ALPHAS got real kick in the teeth this past week- their show has been cancelled.
It shouldn't hve been a surprise- any show with male leads that builds a strong audience seems to go under the axe at Syfy, the channel by womyn, for womyn. No seriously. Look at their track record. Stargate, Farscape, Tremors, Eureka... Syfy has an annoying habit of killing great shows with large followings. And replacing them with reality TV.
Alphas was a great show. It used a time-tested set up: elderly leader teaches folks with special abilities to use them in the ame of the greater good. We've seen it before, and we'll likely see it again. And if it's on Syfy, it'll get cancelled again.
In the meantime, I suggest any ALPHAS fan fill that void with something Mythical...
MYTHICAL vs ALPHAS
When you think about it, the two are very similar. Mythical is a series of pulp-styed novels about a military unit fighting the supernatural to protect America. Alphas was a TV series about people working for the government, fighting the paranormal to protect America.
Alphas had an elderly scientist who helped those with special abilities to control them. Mythical has an immortal Cold Warrior who is molding the next generation of supersoldiers.
Alphas had the super strong Bill, the never-misses soldier, the telepathicish pusher, the hyper sensed investigator, the boy who communicates with computers and a girl who can learn anything. Mythical has telepaths, precogs, postcogs, astral projectors, werewolves, vampires and soldiers turned to living stone.
But best of all, Mythical can't be cancelled by the Syfy executives. It'll continue on as long as people keep reading. So hang in there ALPHAS fans, until the next show comes around, switch to reading. With three books out and three more in 2013, Mythical is just beginning.
It shouldn't hve been a surprise- any show with male leads that builds a strong audience seems to go under the axe at Syfy, the channel by womyn, for womyn. No seriously. Look at their track record. Stargate, Farscape, Tremors, Eureka... Syfy has an annoying habit of killing great shows with large followings. And replacing them with reality TV.
Alphas was a great show. It used a time-tested set up: elderly leader teaches folks with special abilities to use them in the ame of the greater good. We've seen it before, and we'll likely see it again. And if it's on Syfy, it'll get cancelled again.
In the meantime, I suggest any ALPHAS fan fill that void with something Mythical...
MYTHICAL vs ALPHAS
When you think about it, the two are very similar. Mythical is a series of pulp-styed novels about a military unit fighting the supernatural to protect America. Alphas was a TV series about people working for the government, fighting the paranormal to protect America.
Alphas had an elderly scientist who helped those with special abilities to control them. Mythical has an immortal Cold Warrior who is molding the next generation of supersoldiers.
Alphas had the super strong Bill, the never-misses soldier, the telepathicish pusher, the hyper sensed investigator, the boy who communicates with computers and a girl who can learn anything. Mythical has telepaths, precogs, postcogs, astral projectors, werewolves, vampires and soldiers turned to living stone.
But best of all, Mythical can't be cancelled by the Syfy executives. It'll continue on as long as people keep reading. So hang in there ALPHAS fans, until the next show comes around, switch to reading. With three books out and three more in 2013, Mythical is just beginning.
January 3, 2013
Not all vampires suck
Imprisoned at Alcatraz for over forty years, Dr. Laura Olson dreamed of two things: freedom and meeting back up with the man who spared her life and gave her a chance to serve her country.
All that changes when a shapeshifter comes to the Rock, ripping out and eating the hearts of the inmates to steal their memories and paranormal abilities. The shapeshifter sweeps through the prison and finally attacks Dr. Olson, stealing her heart and undead powers as well.
When the shapeshifter declares himself to be the second coming of Kukulcan to the people of the Yucatan, America's anti-supernatural firces spring into action, recruiting Dr. Olson and giving her a chance for payback.
The vampire now must work with a team of living stone soldiers, a teenager who can freeze objects with her mind and the super soldier who captured her. Can the vampire keep her new team alive long enough to get revenge, or will she succumb to her blood thirst?
Mythical: Blood and Stone, now available on Kindle, Nook and Smashwords.
Http://tinyurl.com/MBASKindle
All that changes when a shapeshifter comes to the Rock, ripping out and eating the hearts of the inmates to steal their memories and paranormal abilities. The shapeshifter sweeps through the prison and finally attacks Dr. Olson, stealing her heart and undead powers as well.
When the shapeshifter declares himself to be the second coming of Kukulcan to the people of the Yucatan, America's anti-supernatural firces spring into action, recruiting Dr. Olson and giving her a chance for payback.
The vampire now must work with a team of living stone soldiers, a teenager who can freeze objects with her mind and the super soldier who captured her. Can the vampire keep her new team alive long enough to get revenge, or will she succumb to her blood thirst?
Mythical: Blood and Stone, now available on Kindle, Nook and Smashwords.
Http://tinyurl.com/MBASKindle
December 23, 2012
MYTHICAL in 2013
Mythical continues in 2013 with three new adventures:
Mythical #4, SHADES OF WAR
The Stone Soldiers of Detachment 1039, the Blacksabers, stand as America's supernatural defenders. Impervious to nearly all conventional weapons, never tiring, never needing sleep- they are an unstoppable force of men turned to living stone by ancient magic.
Killed by the Blacksabers' leader over twenty years ago, Clinton Kerrick has returned from the dead, raising an army of spectres to fight against the living. His army of ghost soldiers are ready to march on Washington and exact their own revenge against the country that killed them.
Can the Blacksabers stand against an ethereal foe that cannot be killed? Or when the South rises again, will it mean the end of America?
Mythical #5, BLACK KNIGHT DOWN
Orbiting the earth for millenia, a strange, black construct hangs silently in space, its purpose and creators unknown. Governments of the world have feared the implications of the prehistoric, artificial satellite and have kept its existence a secret.
A coven of witches and their druidic ally bring Black Knight crashing to Earth to harness the dark forces contained within it. The men and women of the U.S. military's Blacksabers detachment must spring into action to combat this threat from space- but this ancient relic may prove too much for the supersoldiers.
Mythical #6, TERRORCOTTA
Buried for millenia in China, under the dirt outside the First Emperor's tomb, the terracotta soldiers were believed to be statues made in honor of Zao Zheng, guarding his eternal resting place. But the truth is far more terrifying.
The People's Republic unlocked the secret of the terracotta army years ago and developed it into a weapon designed to turn the populations of whole cities into hardened clay. Deemed too terrible to use, the Nlai Wan, the Clay Cloud, was locked away in vaults deep underneath the Forbidden City.
Now a renegade General who fancies himself the next great Emperor of China has stolen the Clay Cloud prototypes and moved them to America. There he plans to unleash his alchemical weapons of mass destruction on an unsuspecting populace and trigger a war between China and the United States that he will win, then declare himself First Emperor of the World.
Can America's supersoldiers, the men and women of the Blacksabers detachment stop General Zuo Zhao Zheng without killing millions in the process?
Mythical #4, SHADES OF WAR
The Stone Soldiers of Detachment 1039, the Blacksabers, stand as America's supernatural defenders. Impervious to nearly all conventional weapons, never tiring, never needing sleep- they are an unstoppable force of men turned to living stone by ancient magic.
Killed by the Blacksabers' leader over twenty years ago, Clinton Kerrick has returned from the dead, raising an army of spectres to fight against the living. His army of ghost soldiers are ready to march on Washington and exact their own revenge against the country that killed them.
Can the Blacksabers stand against an ethereal foe that cannot be killed? Or when the South rises again, will it mean the end of America?
Mythical #5, BLACK KNIGHT DOWN
Orbiting the earth for millenia, a strange, black construct hangs silently in space, its purpose and creators unknown. Governments of the world have feared the implications of the prehistoric, artificial satellite and have kept its existence a secret.
A coven of witches and their druidic ally bring Black Knight crashing to Earth to harness the dark forces contained within it. The men and women of the U.S. military's Blacksabers detachment must spring into action to combat this threat from space- but this ancient relic may prove too much for the supersoldiers.
Mythical #6, TERRORCOTTA
Buried for millenia in China, under the dirt outside the First Emperor's tomb, the terracotta soldiers were believed to be statues made in honor of Zao Zheng, guarding his eternal resting place. But the truth is far more terrifying.
The People's Republic unlocked the secret of the terracotta army years ago and developed it into a weapon designed to turn the populations of whole cities into hardened clay. Deemed too terrible to use, the Nlai Wan, the Clay Cloud, was locked away in vaults deep underneath the Forbidden City.
Now a renegade General who fancies himself the next great Emperor of China has stolen the Clay Cloud prototypes and moved them to America. There he plans to unleash his alchemical weapons of mass destruction on an unsuspecting populace and trigger a war between China and the United States that he will win, then declare himself First Emperor of the World.
Can America's supersoldiers, the men and women of the Blacksabers detachment stop General Zuo Zhao Zheng without killing millions in the process?
December 21, 2012
The Apocalypse is Over- time for some Mayan payback
December 21st came and went and the world is still here. So much for doomsday. So much for the Mayans as well.
But what if a new threat came along? Something striking in the heart of Mayan lands?
That’s precisely the plot of Mythical #3, BLOOD AND STONE.
A mysterious figure descends on the Yucatan, able to change shape from a feathered, flying serpent to a glowing, nine foot tall giant. Declaring himself to be Kukulcan, the shapeshifter begins building an army of followers and demanding sacrifices as he spreads his influence over the region. The Mexican Army is hopefully outmatched, with Kukulcan downing their aircraft and turning their men to stone.
The men and women of Detachment 1039, the Blacksabers, the United States’ first line of defense from the supernatural must travel to Mexico to help America’s southern ally and defeat the shapeshifter before he accumulates enough power to become unstoppable.
Available now on Kindle and Nook and in the format of your choice through Smashwords.com
But what if a new threat came along? Something striking in the heart of Mayan lands?
That’s precisely the plot of Mythical #3, BLOOD AND STONE.
A mysterious figure descends on the Yucatan, able to change shape from a feathered, flying serpent to a glowing, nine foot tall giant. Declaring himself to be Kukulcan, the shapeshifter begins building an army of followers and demanding sacrifices as he spreads his influence over the region. The Mexican Army is hopefully outmatched, with Kukulcan downing their aircraft and turning their men to stone.
The men and women of Detachment 1039, the Blacksabers, the United States’ first line of defense from the supernatural must travel to Mexico to help America’s southern ally and defeat the shapeshifter before he accumulates enough power to become unstoppable.
Available now on Kindle and Nook and in the format of your choice through Smashwords.com
December 4, 2012
There's nosuch thing as bad feedback?
I used to firmly believe that there was no such thing as bad feedback. Afterall, writing is about producing a product consumers might want to purchase. I don't write for the art of it. So I try to listen to all feedback and consider it carefully to craft a better product. Over at page99test.com, authors can upload the 99th page of their work to get feedback. The idea being that any book, if you pick it up and thumb to Page 99, it's a good idea of whether you'd like the book or not. I don't get much feedback over there, but just now I got one of the all time stupidest things I've ever seen: 
The superhuman leap is unbelievable, the names are too similar, the numbers on the guns suggest the writer is obsessed with heavy weaponry which is boring and anyway, I like dragons and didn't enjoy reading about a hurt one.
Uh, superhumans are unbelievable but dragons aren't? Didn't enjoy reading about a hurt dragon? What?! Obsessed with heavy weaponry?
Okay, I get that if you didn't read the book blurb, didn't know that Mythical: Brothers in Stone was Men's Adventure/Pulp-horror novel, you might not like the contents of Page 99. You might not know it's not a real dragon, but rather a shapeshifter who is posing as a dragon after ripping out it's heart. You also might not know that when you're talking Men's Adventure and Pulps, you have to put in detail about things like weapons. Cause dudes like that.
I wish I could respond to the commenter and apologize to them for their sensabilities being rocked. And explain the series a bit better. I think instead, I'll just pull the listing down so as not to offend or scar any other wannabe dragon trainers.
November 29, 2012
Three's a Charm
The shapeshifting giant Tezcahtlip is free in the modern world, eating the hearts of victims to steal their form, their memories and their power.
After losing his brother in a battle with the American military, the giant flees to Mexico, taking up residence in the Yucatan where he poses as the Mayan god Kukulcan in an effort to gather followers and sacrifices.
The men and women of Detachment 1039 will need help from an unlikely source before they head south to combat the monster. Can a vampire imprisoned at Alcatraz really be a help, or a hindrance?
Mythical: Blood and Stone
Now available on Kindle and at Smashwords.com
November 17, 2012
Vampires are coming...
In the final stages of proofreading and error correction...
The shapeshifting giant Tezcahtlip is free in the modern world, eating the hearts of victims to steal their form, their memories and their power.
After losing his brother in a battle with the American military, the giant flees to Mexico, taking up residence in the Yucatan where he poses as the Mayan god Kukulcan in an effort to gather followers and sacrifices.
The men and women of Detachment 1039 will need help from an unlikely source before they head south to combat the monster. But can a vampire imprisoned at Alcatraz really be a help, or a hindrance?
November 15, 2012
#3 is Done!
Finally got #3 done. In the final proof reading stages and then it's time to upload and begin #4. Only two books to go then I can step back from this series and see if it ever picks up steam. In the meantime, I'm contemplating some new covers. I love the covers thus face, but I don't think they stand out enough. Worked up something more eyepopping, which I think will capture more readers. Here's the mock up so far...
